IBC泰國法律金融會計事務所International Business Consultancy

What You Should Know About Copyright of Using People’s Image on TV in Thailand

您應該了解泰國電視上使用人物影像的著作權

It is often to see ourselves or our work on TV, but there are some important legal issues to take into consideration. For example, people’s images may appear on the TV screen during TV shows like game shows. It comes to us that whether unauthorized use of another person’s image in a television show gives rise to potential copyright infringement claims under Thai copyright law.

人們經常在電視上看到我們自己或我們的作品，但有一些重要的法律問題需要考慮。例如，在遊戲節目等電視節目中，人物影像可能會出現在電視螢幕上。我們認為，根據泰國著作權法，在電視節目中未經授權使用他人影像是否會引起潛在的著作權侵權索賠。

Whether this situation is legal or not contains two separate legal connects (1) copyright and (2) the right of publicity. Each right has its own requirement.

這種情況是否合法包含兩個獨立的法律聯繫(1)著作權和(2)公開權。每項權利都有其自己的要求。

Thai Copyright

泰國著作權

According to Section 4 of Thai Copyright Act, photographs are protected. The ownership of photographs may depend on specific factors, such as employment, whether licensing agreement exists, whether photograph was commissioned, and so on. Also, according to Section 21, “Copyright in a photographic work, an audiovisual work, a cinematographic work, a sound recording, or a sound and video broadcasting work endures for fifty years from the authorship, provided that if the work is published during such period, copyright endures fifty years as from the first publication.”

根據泰國《著作權法》第 4 條，照片受到保護。照片的所有權可能取決於特定因素，例如聘僱、是否存在許可協議、照片是否為委託拍攝等等。另外，根據第21 條，“攝影作品、視聽作品、電影作品、錄音製品、音像廣播作品的著作權自作者身份起計算50年，但如果該作品在該作品發表期間出版，該作品的著作權自首次出版起有效。”

Types of Copyrighted Works

受著作權保護的作品類型

Copyrighted works fall into nine categories, including:

受著作權保護的作品分為9類，包括:

(1)  Literary works: such as books, articles, poems, and computer programs

文學作品：例如書籍、文章、詩歌和電腦程式

(2)  Dance: such as choreographic movements that create a narrative

舞蹈：例如創造敘事的舞蹈動作

(3)  Artistic works: such as paintings and photographs

藝術作品：例如繪畫和照片

(4)  Musical works: including melodies or lyrics and melodies

音樂作品：包括旋律或歌詞和旋律

(5)  Audiovisual materials: such as karaoke VCDs

視聽資料：如卡拉OK VCD

(6)  Films

電影

(7)  Sound recordings: such as music CDs

錄音：例如音樂CD

(8)  Broadcasting works: such as television programs

廣播作品：如電視節目

(9)  Other works in the fields of literature, science, or art: such as body art

文學、科學或藝術領域的其他作品：例如人體藝術

Works Not Protected by Copyright Law

不受著作權法保護的作品

The following do not qualify as copyrighted works:

不受著作權法保護的作品:

(1)  Current news and factual information that are merely informational, unless the information has been organized in a way that qualifies as a literary work, such as news analysis or articles; in that case, the work may be protected as literary work

只是資訊性的當前新聞和事實訊息，除非該資訊的組織方式使其符合文學作品的資格，例如新聞分析或文章；在這種情況下，該作品可以作為文學作品受到保護

(2)  Constitutions and laws

憲法和法律

(3)  Regulations, announcements, orders, or other responses from government agencies

政府機關的法規、公告、命令或其他回覆

(4)  Judgments, orders, rulings, and reports from governmental authorities

政府機關的判決、命令、裁決和報告

(5)  Translations and compilations of items under points 1) to 4) that are prepared by ministries, departments, or other governmental or local agencies

由部會、部門或其他政府或地方機構準備的第 1) 至 4) 項的翻譯和彙編

(6)  Ideas, procedures, methods, systems, processes, concepts, principles, discoveries, scientific theories, or mathematical theories

想法、程序、方法、系統、過程、概念、原理、發現、科學理論或數學理論

Acquisition of Copyright

取得著作權

Copyright rights arise immediately upon the creation of a work by the creator without the need for registration. Therefore, copyright owners should protect their rights by collecting evidence that demonstrates their creation of the work, for the purpose of proving their rights or ownership in the future.

著作權在創作人創作作品後立即產生，無需進行註冊。因此，著作權人應透過收集證明其創作作品的證據來保護自己的權利，以便日後證明自己的權利或所有權。

However, notifying the Department of Intellectual Property about copyright does not certify the rights of the copyright owner in any way; it simply informs the government agency that the notifier claims ownership of the copyright in the work specified. The notifier must certify that they are the owner of the work being reported, and the certificate issued by the Department of Intellectual Property does not confirm that the notifier is the copyright owner.

然而，向智慧財產局通報著作權並不以任何方式證明著作權所有人的權利；這只是通知政府機構，通報人聲稱擁有特定作品的著作權。通報人必須證明其是所通報作品的所有人，智慧財產局頒發的證書並不能確認通報人是著作權所有人。

In the event of disputes regarding copyright ownership, it is necessary to rely on the judgment of the court, which will consider the facts on a case-by-case basis.

當發生著作權歸屬糾紛時，需要依靠法院的判決，法院會根據具體情況進行審理。

Who Owns the Copyright

誰擁有著作權

The individuals who are copyright owners include the following:

著作權所有人的個人包括以下人員:

(1)  The creator who originates the work independently without copying someone else's work, which may also include co-creators

獨立創作作品而不抄襲他人作品的創作人，其中也可能包括共同創作者

(2)  The creator as an employee or contractor (unless otherwise agreed in writing)

作為員工或承包商的創作人(除非另有書面約定)

(3)  The employer in cases where a person is commissioned to create the work (unless otherwise agreed)

委託某人創作作品的雇主(除非另有約定)

(4)  The person who adapts, compiles, or integrates the work with permission from the copyright owner

經著作權人授權改編、編譯或整合作品的人

(5)  Government ministries, departments, or other governmental or local agencies when they commission or control the work

為政府部會、部門或其他政府或地方機構當其委託或控制工作

(6)  The assignee of copyright

著作權受讓人

The owner of copyright has the exclusive rights of:

著作權所有者擁有以下專有權:

1. reproduction or adaptation;

     複製或改編 ;

2. communication to the public;

      與公眾的溝通 ;

3. letting for hire of the original or the copies of a computer program, an audiovisual work, a cinematographic work and a sound recording;

      出租電腦程式、影音作品、電影作品、錄音製品的原件或複製品 ;

4. giving benefits accruing from the copyright to other persons;

      將著作權所得的利益給予他人 ;

(5) licensing the rights mentioned in (1), (2) or (3) with or without conditions, provided that the said conditions shall not unfairly restrict the competition.

有條件或無條件地授權第(1)、(2)或(3)項所述權利，但所述條件不得不公平地限制競爭。

Therefore, copyright owner’s exclusive rights may be violated when the visual image, which is copyrighted work, is displayed and reproduced on television without authorization from the copyright owner.

因此，當未經著作權所有者授權在電視上展示和複製作為受著作權保護的作品的視覺圖像時，著作權所有者的專有權可能會受到侵犯。

Nevertheless, there is an exception under Section 39, “A photographing or a cinematographing or video broadcasting of work of which an artistic work is a component, shall not be deemed as an infringement of copyright in the artistic work.” However, in order to qualify for this exception, the use of others’ images on television shows must strictly meet the following conditions:

然而，第 39 條有一個例外，“對包含藝術作品的作品進行攝影、拍攝或視頻廣播，不得視為侵犯該藝術作品的著作權。”然而，為了獲得這一例外的資格，在電視節目中使用他人影像必須嚴格滿足以下條件:

• The photograph must not be reproduced or adapted from the original. This is because the exception under Section 39 is limited to photographing, filming, or broadcasting an image that constitutes an original artistic work.

     照片不得複製或改編自原件。這是因為第 39 條規定的例外僅限於拍攝、拍攝或傳播構成原創藝術作品的影像。

• The photograph itself must not be a work that infringes any other person’s copyright.

       照片本身不得侵犯任何他人的 著作權。

• The photograph must be used as a component part of the principle action on a television show, not as an essential element of the show.

      照片必須用作電視節目主要動作的組成部分，而不是節目的基本 元素。

In general, permission is required if photograph to be used is considered a “substantial part” of the show. However, there is no explicit rule regarding how much of a work may be used without prior permission. Exactly what constitutes a “substantial part” will be considered on a case-by-case basis, depending on the nature of the show and the particular circumstances.

一般來說，如果要使用的照片被視為演出的“重要部分”，需要獲得許可。然而，對於未經事先許可可以使用作品的多少內容，並沒有明確的規定。究竟什麼構成 “實質部分”，將根據演出的性質和具體情況，根據具體情況進行考慮。

Right of Publicity

公開權

The right of publicity is an intellectual property right that protects against the misappropriation of a person's name, likeness, or other indicia of personal identity, such as nickname, voice, signature, likeness, or photograph, for commercial benefit.

形象權是一種智慧財產權，旨在防止為了商業利益而盜用個人的姓名、肖像或其他個人身分標記，例如暱稱、聲音、簽名、肖像或照片。

There is no unified or dedicated regulatory framework for the right of publicity in Thailand. Ownership of the copyright in a photograph of a public figure belongs to the person who created the image, subject to the conditions that the photographic work must not be illegally created and must not be an unlawful work, which is contrary to the public order or good morals.

泰國沒有統一或專門的公開權監管框架。公眾人物照片的著作權屬於該圖像的創作者，但該攝影作品不得非法創作，不得為違反公共秩序或良好的道德的非法作品。

However, a public figure, or a private individual, whose image appears on TV currently has a reasonable expectation to the right of privacy, which is implied under the Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand. Furthermore, unauthorized use of an individual’s image could be claimed to violate Section 420 and Section 421 of the Civil and Commercial Code, if the person making the claim can prove that financial damage occurred due to the unauthorized exploitation of his or her image, which would be considered a wrongful act. 

然而，目前在電視上出現形象的公眾人物或個人對隱私權有合理的期望，這是泰國憲法所隱含的。此外，如果提出索賠的人能夠證明未經授權使用個人影像造成經濟損失，未經授權使用個人影像可能會被指控違反《民商法》第420 條和第421 條，這將導致經濟損失。

IBC International Consultancy is a Law, Finance, and Accounting firm located in Bangkok, Thailand. With Experienced lawyers, accountants, and financial advisers, we provided services including investment, tax, and legal consultants in Thailand. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us via Line: @ibcfirm for further information.

IBC泰國法律金融會計事務所 (International Business Consultancy) 為一間位於曼谷的泰國法律金融會計事務所，由經驗豐富的律師、會計師、及財務顧問組成，可提供泰國投資、泰國稅收及泰國法律諮詢等服務。如果有什麼問題，可以隨時通過Line: @ibcfirm與我們聯繫。